1. Area of the Art
The invention relates generally to automated chemical analyzers, and specifically to workstations for integrating automated chemical analyzers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automated chemical analyzers are commonly used in clinical chemistry sampling and analyzing applications. Automated analytical equipment, such as automated analytical chemistry workstations, can efficiently perform clinical analysis on a large number of samples, with tests being run concurrently or within short time intervals. Efficiencies result in part because of the use of automated sample identification and tracking. This equipment can automatically prepare appropriate volume samples and can automatically set the test conditions needed to perform the scheduled tests. Test conditions can be independently established and tracked for different testing protocols simultaneously in progress within a single test station, facilitating the simultaneous execution of a number of different tests based on different chemistries and requiring different reaction conditions. Automated analytical equipment is particularly well-suited for high volume testing environments, such as those existing in many hospitals and in centralized testing laboratories, because the automatic sample handling allows for more precise sample identification and sample tracking. Automatic handling and tracking of samples significantly reduces the opportunity for human error or accidents that can lead to either erroneous test results or undesirable contamination.
An example of such an automated clinical chemistry system is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,976 to Choperena, et al., which describes embodiments of the Access(copyright) Special Chemistry Analyzer presently available through the Clinical Chemistry Division of Beckman Coulter, Inc., located in Brea, Calif. Another automated chemistry analyzer is the SYNCHRON LX(copyright)20 General Chemistry Analyzer, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,506 to Farren, U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,925 to Hsu, et al., and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/748,135 to Robins, et al., entitled xe2x80x9cPressure Detector for Chemical Analyzers,xe2x80x9d and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/746,649 to Fechtner, et al., xe2x80x9cAutomatic Chemistry Analyzer with Sample Cup Piercing Assembly,xe2x80x9d which is also presently available through the Clinical Chemistry Division of Beckman Coulter, Inc., located in Brea, Calif. These chemistry systems can provide automated analysis of a number of samples.
In many situations, there is a need to perform a series of analysis by various different analyzers. For example, it is often required that a general chemical analysis be performed and then followed by a more specific immunodiagnostic analysis. In addition, reflex testing of a sample is often needed for a particular analysis.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a workstation for integrating two or more automated chemical analyzers for performing a series of chemical analysis and having the capacity of facilitating reflex testing.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a workstation for integrating two or more automated chemical analyzers.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a workstation for integrating two or more automated chemical analyzers where the automated chemical analyzers will have a single common sample input area.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a workstation for integrating two or more automated chemical analyzers where the automated chemical analyzers will have a single common control console.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a workstation for integrating two or more automated chemical analyzers that can facilitate automated reflex testing from one automated chemical analyzer to another.
It is still an object of the present invention to provide a workstation for integrating two or more automated chemical analyzers with the function of sampling from closed sample tubes.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a workstation for integrating two or more automated chemical analyzers with the capacity of rapid loading of STAT samples.
The objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in a workstation for two or more automated analyzers of the present invention. The workstation of the present invention includes a sample rack handler assembly having a single common sample rack input area for loading sample racks for one of the two or more automated analyzers, a sample rack bypass area for passing sample racks to be processed by the one of the two or more automated analyzers, and a sample rack output area for off-loading sample racks after being processed by the one of the two or more automated analyzers.
The workstation of the present invention also includes a sample aliquoting assembly having a cap-piercing station for piercing caps of closed sample tubes contained in the sample racks, and a sample pipetter station for pipetting sample aliquot and dispensing the sample aliquot to aliquot vessels for processing by another one of the two or more automated analyzers.
The workstation of the present invention further includes an internal shuttle for shuttling the sample racks between the sample rack input area, the sample rack bypass area, the cap-piercing station and the sample pipetter station, and an external shuttle for shuttling the sample racks between the sample rack input area, the sample rack bypass area, and the one of the two or more automated analyzers.
The workstation of the present invention additionally includes a pick-and-place mechanism for transporting the aliquot vessels between the sample pipetter station and the other one of the two or more automated analyzers.
Such an arrangement has been found to provide a number of advantages. As explained in greater detail below, the workstation of the present invention integrates two or more automated chemical analyzers for performing a series of chemical analysis. The workstation of the present invention also provides a single common sample input area and a single control console for the integrated automated chemical analyzers. In addition, the workstation of the present invention can facilitate automated reflex testing from one automated chemical analyzer to another. Furthermore, the workstation of the present invention has the function of sampling from closed sample tubes and the capacity for rapid loading of STAT samples.
The invention is defined in its fullest scope in the appended claims and is described below in its preferred embodiments.